Pressurized press



y 4, 1965 M. E. GINAVEN ETAL 3,131,454

PRESSURIZED PRESS Filed Nov. 8, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 j l I S I o o G /0 (I,

III-I III I. llllll By jmwmm y 4, 1965 M. E. GINAVEN ETAL 3,181,454

PRESSURIZED PRESS Filed Nov. 8, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TORS lrrae/ws' y United States Patent 3,181,454 PRESSUREZED PRESS Marvin E. Qinaven and Albert H. Adams, dpringiield, Ghio, assignors to The liauer Eros. 60., Springfield, Ghio, a corporation of @hio Filed Nov. 8, 1%2, Ser. No. 236,339 4; Claims. {CL 169-74) This invention relates to fiberizing and like presses, as used for example in the art of pulping and refining to express fluids from and to defiber fibrous materials.

The object of the invention is to simplify the construction as well as the means and mode of operation of fiberizing presses, whereby such presses may not only be economically manufactured, but will be more efiicient and satisfactory in use, adaptable to a Wide variety of applica tions, and be unlikely to get out of order.

A further object of the invention is to carry out the work of the press in a selected environment representing either an additional treatment phase or a means of achieving more efiicient and more satisfactory Work by the press, or both.

Another object of the invention is to enable material to be acted on in the press under conditions approximating those under which they were delivered to the press, including conditions of relatively elevated temperature and pressure.

A further object of the invention is to effect improvement in the treatment of cooked pulp material, in respect of better delibering, less power consumption, and more thorough expression of dissolved solids.

Still another object of the invention is to introduce a generally new concept into the operation of a fiberizing press according to which the materials advanced through the press may simultaneously be exposed to the action of gases, fluids and the like selectively variable as to kind, temperature and pressure.

A still further object of the invention is to operate a fiberizing press as described under conditions effectively segregating the press from either one or both of the source and destination of the materials acted on by the press.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fiberizing press possessing the advantageous structural features, the inherent meritorious characteristics and the mode of operation herein mentioned.

in carrying out the objects of the invention there has been provided in accordance with the illustrated embodiment thereof a fiberizing press assembly characterized in part by a jacket enclosing the press and serving as a pressure vessel preserving temperature and pressure conditions and in con unction therewith, or alternatively thereto, receiving a fluid medium establishing a selected press environment. 7

With the above and other incidental objects in view as will more fully appear in the specification, the invention intended to be protected by Letters Patent consists of the features of construction, the parts and cornbinations thereof, and the mode of operation as hereinafter described or illustrated in the accompanying drawings, or their equivalents.

Referring to the accompanying drawing wherein is shown one but obviously not necessarily the only form of embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 1 is a view partly diagrammatic in form of a fiberizing press in accordance with an illustrated embodiment of the invention, the press being shown under conditions segregating the press;

PEG. 2 is a detail view in longitudinal section of the fiberizing press of H6. 1, the device of FIG. 2 being modified in some respects to indicate a variant use and mode of operation of the press; and

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FIG. 3 is a view in cross-section, taken substantially along irregular line 33 of FIG. 2.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, a fiberizing press in accordance with the invention may assume the form shown in PEG. 1 where a base 143 mounts an elongated press support 11, an electric motor 12 for powering the press and intermediate gear means 13. Material to be acted on by the press reaches the press assembly through an inlet connection 14, and leaves the press assembly by way of an outlet connection 15. In the illustrated instance the inlet connection 14 is supplied under control of a rotary valve device 16. A similar valve device 17 is mounted on outlet connection 15' to control flow therefrom. The valve devices 16 and 17 are alike in their construction and may assume conventional forms, as for example as shown in the patent to Greaves et al. 2,816,693 dated December 17, 1957. As such, the valve devices comprise rotary valve elements providing periphcral cavities conducting material through the valve device under conditions limiting or precluding pressure fluid escape thereby. Such rotary valve elements are in the present instance operated by motor means 18 through belt drives 19. The valve device is in the case of device 16 interposed in a conduit 21 leading from a suitable source of fibrous or like material. in the case of device 17 this device is attached to outlet connection 15 to communicate therewith and conducts the discharged material to a suitable continuing discharge line 22. As illustrated, therefore, the valve devices to and 17 define between them a segregated zone in which is the press proper.

Considering the press construction, a longitudinal section thereof appears in FIG. 2, modified with respect to FlG. l to the extent of showing an alternative form f outlet connection as well as means for the admitting of selected fluid mediums. The press support 11 is fabricated from intersecting plate members 23 and 24 and otters direct support to a cylinder 25. Caps 26 and 2.7 are welded or otherwise secured to respective ends of the cylinder 25 and define therewith a closed vessel 23. The cap 26 has an opening therein to receive a bushing 29 in which is rotatable a shaft 31 extending from the gear means 13. Touching or adjacent surfaces of the cap 26 and bushing 29 are sealed to define a pressure tight joint. The inlet connection 1 extends into the vessel 28 through a fitting 32 which has a sealing contact on its inner periphery with the connection 14 and a sealing contact on its outer periphery with the cylinder 25 of the vessel 28. In the end cap 27' is sealingly installed a flange member 33 providing a mounting for an outlet member 34 which in this illustrated instance replaces the curved outlet connection 15 of FIG. 1. Fittings 15 and 3-4- and others of a like nature are interchangeable, depending upon the system in which the press is installed, as well as upon the selected mode of operation of the press as will hereinafter more clearly appear.

Longitudinally disposed within the vessel 28 in a manner to be enclosed thereby is a press barrel 35 providing a through passage by which the materials acted on by the press may travel from the inlet connection 14 to the outlet connection or fitting 15 or 34. The barrel is made up of an assembly of parts defining essentially a slotted cage through which iluids may be exchanged as between the barrel and the interior of vessel 28 outside the barrel. An end portion 36 of the barrel receives the inner end of inlet connection 14, the latter extending through the vessel 25 to the portion 36 in non-communicating relation with the vessel interior.

The barrel 35 is essentially comprised of aligned cage ,upper and lower portions.

sections each comprising a cylindrical arrangement of ,of which respectively seat on support plates 41. These are a part of or are integrally connected to respective longitudinally extending side flanges 42 installed in the vessel 28 and in eifect separating the vessel into integrated Mating and overlying flange means 43 provide support for other clamp means 44 in overlying complementary relation to the clamps 38 and cooperating therewith to maintain the bars 37 in an assem bled relation substantially as indicated. The upper and lower clamp elements are connected by bolts 45 at their lateral extremities. The mating pairs of clamp elements 38 and 44 have mating recesses by which breaker bars or plates 46 may be installed in diametrically opposed relation at selected locations along the length of the press barrel, the breaker bars extending inwardly a determined distance into the inner area defined by the circle of cage bars 37.

The described interior cage area represents the through thereof where a sleeve 51 bridges the space between the end of barrel 35 and flange 33 in a manner to exclude the interior of vessel 28 from direct communicating relation with outlet connection 34. The arrangement accordingly is one elfectively closing the interior of vessel 28 from communication with the exterior thereof by any means except through the cage bars 37 of the barrel 35 to the barrel interior and thence to outside the press assembly through inlet connection 14 and outlet connection 34.

Longitudinally disposed in the barrel 35 is feed screw means comprising a shaft (not shown) on which is an assembly of sleeves and collars held in place on the shaft by means including a nut 52. The aforementioned shaft 31 'is in rotary driving engagement with a sleeve 53 through a tongue-in-groove like connection 54. The latter is in turn in driving relation to a succeeding sleeve 55, this and succeeding sleeves 56-59 and 61 of the series being similarly connected in a driving-driven relation. On the described sleeves are respective discontinuous screw flights 62-69. 'In the cylindrical section 49 of the barrel and separating adjacent sleeves are collars 71-73 of frustoconical shape. a frusto-conical member 74 extending partly within the sleeve 51 at the outlet end of the barrel.

The sleeve-collar assembly terminates in 4 around each successive collar becoming progressively smaller.

At the location of frusto-conical member 74 at the outlet end of the cage the relatively dry and compressed material tends eflectively to close the described surrounding annular area in a manner to preclude communication of the'barrel interior with outlet connection 34. The char acter of the plug so formed continually changes, of course, with material being forced beyond member 74 into the sleeve 51 where it is picked up by further feed screw means 75 and advanced into outlet connection 34. The several screw flights exert a degree of fiberizing action upon solids in the material acted on thereby, in ac cordance with the known mode of operation of fiberizing presses of this class. The previously mentioned breale er bars 46 are located to project into the barrel interior at locations intermediate adjacent screw flights opposite all or selected collars 71-73 in a manner to inhibit rotation of the material with the feed screw devices and so provide for or promote more effective defibering. 7

At the bottom of the vessel 23 a fitting 76 is installed serving as an outlet or drain for fluids within the vessel. Joined with a T-fitting 77, drain 76 communicates with oppositely disposed ducts 78 and 79 extending through support 11 to opposite sides thereof. In the upper part of the vessel 28 are access openings normally closed by detachable dome devices 81 and 82.

The structure iliustratively disclosed lends itself to a variety of applications and uses.- The vessel 28 serves as a jacket enclosing and surrounding the press in such manner as to provide an environment in intimate, communicating relation with the interior of the press barrel.

.Materials introduced into the press through inlet connection 14 thus may be allowed to progress through the press under conditions substantially preserving or corresponding to those under which they were introduced. For example, material may be introduced into the press at an elevated temperature and this elevated temperature maintained and preserved during the travel of the material through the press With consequent improvement in the expression of dissolved solids and at less cost in power, it being known in the art that work done at high temperatures achieves these results. 7

The fiberizing press may be used in the pulping and refining art in conjunction with a digester wherein a fibrous material is cooked in the presence of a heated chemical liquor. Allowing the output of such a digester to discharge into the instant press assembly, advantages of high temperature operation are achieved. Also, the expressed liquor is continued at relatively elevated temperatures as it collects in the vessel 23 with a consequent saving of its latent heat. Liquor expressed from a fiberizing press conventionally is either evaporated to recover the chemicalsor is reused as make-up cooking liquor for ,recharging the digester. In either case, the latent heat represents a substantial amount of energy. The

Material to be acted on by the press is introduced into the assembly by way of inlet connection 14 and is initially received in barrel section 47. There it is advanced by the screw flight 62 into section 48 Where it is picked up 'by screw flights 63 and 64 and advanced to a' succeeding sec tion of the barrel and so on until the material finally is expelled from the press into'the outlet connection 34. The combination of feeding actions as initiated by the screw flights and gradually reducing diameter of the barrel interior results in the application of pressures to the material expressing liquids and solids therefrom which drain from the barrel through the cage bars into the interior of vessel 28. The collars 71-73 define low clearance areas where the pressure exerted upon the work is intermittently increased, the arrangement of collars and associated sleeves being as indicated oneto apply intermittent pressures of. increasing intensity, the open annular space liquor-collecting in the vessel 28 is removed by way of drain fitting 76 and communicating ducts 73-79 communicating with a storage container or the like, it being understood that the entire system, including the digester, vessel 28 and outlet means 76-79 may be maintained under relatively elevated pressures, pressurizing the expressed fluids. One or more fittings 83 may, as shown in FIG. 2, be installed in the wall of vessel 28 to introduce a selected fluid medium therein. Thisrnedium may be steam, serving a purpose in pressurizing and heating the interior of vessel 28 to desired values or, in conjunction therewith or alternatively thereto, the fluid medium may be treating liquids or vapors the purpose of which is to provide a new and additional treating environment for the material as it passes through the press. Thus, suitable and selected moistening, reaction inhibiting, bleaching agents and the like may selectively be introduced into the vessel 28 to carry out in conjunction with the work done by the press a supplemental treating action accomplished by flowing the introduced fluids from the vessel interior through the cage bars into the press barrel.

The rotary values 16 and 17 may as noted be used together as indicated in FIG. 1, be both omitted, or used separately of one another. in the operation of the press assembly in connection with a digester or the like the use of a valve at the inlet end of the press may be unnecessary. In the operation of the press utilizing vessel 23 as a means to achieve a new environmental condition for material in the press a valve such as valve 16 at the inlet end may be useful in precluding reverse flow of the introduced fluids. At the outlet end of the press the outlet fitting or connection 34 as shown in FIG. 2 is one particularly adapted for conducting the press discharge to a blow-by bin or like storage place. A fitting 84 thereon provides for access to the outlet connection of steam, compressed air on the like whereby the discharged material may be conducted with greater facility to its destination. The described plug surrounding the frusto-conical element 74 precludes communication of pressure fluids introduced at fitting S4 with the interior of the press, as well as obviating escape through the outlet end of the barrel of pressure fluids which may be established in the interior of vessel 28. Fitting 84 might likewise be used for treat ment of the discharged material by selected chemicals, the material emerging from the press at this point in a dry, expanding condition conducive to effective and thorough fluid penetration.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts Without departing from the principle involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise but one of several modes of putting the invention into effect, and the invention is therefore claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In the art of pulping and refining, a press including a press barrel providing a through passage for material to be acted on by the press, a jacket fully enclosing said press barrel, feed screw means disposed longitudinally of said through passage having on one end thereof, within said barrel, a tapered collar forming with said barrel an annular restricted area adjacent one end of said jacket, means extending through the other end of said jacket into rotary driving engagement with one end of said feed screw means, means for admittin material, for treatment in said barrel, adjacent the said one end of said feed screw means, said feed screw means being operative to advance said material through said barrel, the material forming at said annular retricted area a plug inhibiting escape of fluids from said barrel, said barrel having openings for expression of fluid from said material into said jacket, and means for treating the material as it advances through said barrel with fluids under pressure independently admitted to said jacket and having access to the material in said barrel through the openings therein.

2. A press according to claim 1, characterized by means for draining said jacket.

3. In the art of pulping and refining, a press comprising a press barrel having an inlet, an outlet and other openings for fluid passage, a shell forming a chamber about said barrel having an inlet and an outlet therefrom, means providing a seal of said shell inlet and said barrel inlet including a material delivery chute which extends between and interconnects said inlets so as to preclude the direct passage to said chamber of materials delivered through said chute, shaft means extending through said barrel including a portion thereof at said barrel outlet, an imperforatc barrel extension in alignment with said barrel and interconnecting said outlets, means on said shaft means for receiving material delivered through said chute, advancing such materials to and through said outlets, and, in the process thereof extracting fluid therefrom for passage to said chamber, and means fixed on said shaft means at least a portion of which projects in said extension to form a restricted annular passage for materials advancing through said extension, said last mentioned means thereby producing a moving plu of said materials in a manner to seal said shell outlet, and said shell providing means forming a pressure vessel about said barrel within which fluids may be retained at elevated temperature and the latent heat thereof utilized in a material conditioning process.

4. A press as in claim 3 characterized by means independent of said shell inlet for the independent delivery of material conditioning fluids to said chamber to pass to and through said barrel by way of said other openings.

References (Jilted by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 793,267 6/05 Barth. 1,048,853 12/ 12 Muntzing. 2,216,65 8 10/40 Anderson -93 2,355,091 8/44 McDonald 100-145 X 2,816,698 12/57 Greaves et al 222-342 2,997,943 8/61 Zies 100l17 X FoREroN PATENTS 751,551 6/33 France.

402,080 2/43 Italy.

WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner, 

1. IN THE ART OF PULPING AND REFINING, A PRESS INCLUDING A PRESS BARREL PROVIDING A THROUGH PASSAGE FOR MATERIAL TO BE ACTED ON BY THE PRESS, A JACKET FULLY ENCLOSING SAID PRESS BARREL, FEED SCREW MEANS DISPOSED LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID THROUGH PASSAGE HAVING ON ONE END THEREOF, WITHIN SAID BARREL, A TAPERED COLLAR FORMING WITH SAID BARREL AN ANNULAR RESTRICTED AREA ADJACENT ONE END OF SAID JACKET, MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH THE OTHER END OF SAID JACKET INTO ROTARY DRIVING ENGAGEMENT WITH ONE END OF SAID FEED SCREW MEANS, MEANS FOR ADMITTING MATERIAL, FOR TREATMENT IN SAID BARREL, ADJACENT THE SAID ONE END OF SAID FEED SCREW 